Blackhawks off to a good start, while Cubs and White Sox ponder moves

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The Blackhawks are off to a nice start at 2-0-1 but I’m still not particularly optimistic about their playoff chances.  Jonathan Toes and Patrick Kane are both off to great starts which is encouraging but other concerns remain.  Cam Ward has been in the nets for all three Hawks games and to put it charitably, has been bad.  His GAA is 4.63 and his save percentage is .843.  Whatever aspirations the Hawks may have for this season revolve around Corey Crawford coming back and being the Corey Crawford of old, or getting more help at goalie.

Stars are being stars

The hot start of Jonathan Toews has been particularly encouraging. Toews has five goals in three games after scoring 20 all of last season.  His shooting percentage last season was a career low 9.5.  For his career it’s 14.2.  Maybe some progression to the mean is in order.  Like Toews, Patrick Kane also has six points in three games. While that’s great to see, there wasn’t the concern about Kane that there was, and maybe is, in Toews.

Something new and something old

Rookie defenseman, 19 year-old Henri Jokiharju, is off to a hot start for the Hawks, at least offensively, with five assists.  His development with be interesting to watch this season.  Still, it all comes down to Corey Crawford.  Crawford could steal games for the Hawks while Ward can give them away.

Sox, lies and video tape?

Going into the 2018 season, expectations for the White Sox were low.  Sadly, they failed to meet even minimal hopes.  Things were rocking along but a poor but respectable level until the last part of the season.  Sox GM, Rick Hahn, had said service time would not be an issue when it came to calling up Eloy Jimenez.  That was clearly a crock.  I understand not bring up Jimenez, but making clearly questionable statements about it strikes me as an unforced error.

Raise the bar

Soon after that, potential ace in waiting, Michael Kopech, was injured and went on to have Tommy John surgery.   After that, the Sox mailed it in and were able to reach the 100 loss mark.  Expectations have got to be higher for next season.

The Sox catching is fair but has some depth.  The infield is below average but young.  The outfield is horrendous.  Rick Hahn, get some help.  You’ve amassed enough prospects.

Bryce Harper and more Ben Zobrist?

A lot will be made of the Cubs second half offensively collapse, and rightfully so.  What will be done about it?  Look for the Cubs to make a serious run at Bryce Harper.  That would make for a platoon situation in center field with Jason Heyward and Albert Almora.  Left field will be a mish mash of Ian Happ and Kyle Schwarber, unless one of them is traded.

I think Addison Russell’s days as a Cub are over.  Can Ben Zobrist play second on a semi-regular basis?  If not the Cubs could be looking for some infield help.